合拢 (hé lǒng) — to close (e.g. a book, umbrella); to bring together (e.g. hands, wings)

Definition

A transitive verb meaning to close or bring two parts together (book, umbrella, wings, hands). Often pairs with 把; emphasizes the meeting of the two sides, unlike 关上 which focuses on shutting a container.

verb
to close (e.g. a book, umbrella)to bring together (e.g. hands, wings)

Examples

  • 合拢。
    Tā qīng qīng de bǎ shū hé lǒng le.
    He gently closed the book.
  • 合拢，。
    Tā hé lǒng shuāng shǒu, biǎo shì huān yíng.
    She brought her hands together in welcome.
  • ，合拢。
    Yǔ tíng le, tā bǎ sǎn hé lǒng.
    The rain stopped, and he closed his umbrella.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

合héjoin
拢lǒnggather

合 (join) and 拢 (gather) together give closing or bringing things together.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攏; 拢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
龍
龍lóng攏lǒng
Same sound today

The traditional form 攏 combines 手 (hand) with 龍 for sound; the simplified 拢 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical 龍.

Open 拢 →

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